Beyond Her Final Breath (Book 1- Shadowland Duology) | Wattys2015

.Chapter Fourteen.

The scent of coffee, rich and heavy, enveloped Nathan in heavy memories as he swung open the Grind House doors. Golden pastries powdered with sugar sat inside glass displays, proudly claiming that they were handmade. Conversations rich with happy voices lulled over the purr of coffee machines.

A barista with skin as dark as the caramel mocha she was handing to a customer smiled at Nathan.

“Welcome to the Grind House!” Her smile was dazzling white against her caramel skin.

Nathan nodded in response and grabbed a seat in the corner, facing the rest of the cafe. He swung his messenger bag onto the round table and pulled out his laptop, plugging the charger into the wall.

The Grind House was busy this time of day, right after school. Sitting only a block or two away from the high school, the Grind House was a hotspot for studying teenagers and local college students. In fact, Evelyn and Nathan could’ve been found there every alternating Thursday night pouring over thick textbooks back when she was alive.

A twinge of longing ached in his chest. The cafe felt a bit duller without her there to make him laugh. The bright lights overhead appeared dimmer, the conversation more somber. In an attempt to brush away his sudden negative mood, Nathan got up and went to the counter.

“Hey. It’s Nathan, right?” The barista greeted.

He looked at her silver name tag pinned to her dark green apron.

“Hi, Sharon. I’ll take…” He gazed at the delicate pastries behind the glass, a wave of nostalgia washing over him. “I’ll take a slice of apple pie. Oh, and a cup of caramel cappuccino.”

She gave him a shy smile before handing over the light brown box containing the pie slice. “Your drink should be done any minute now.”

He grabbed his wallet out of his back pocket, memories of Evelyn invading him. She would always insist on paying for the apple pie slices they would always get, while he made fun of her caramel cappuccino. He had always insisted that it was too girly a drink for him. Plain old coffee with a dash of cream was more his style. 

“Here’s your drink.”

Sharon’s hand brushed against his hand as he grabbed the styrofoam cup, a shy smile on her face. Nathan gave her a smile back, one that he hoped sent the message that he wasn’t looking for anyone. He became guarded, hoping he appeared friendly and nothing more.

Cup and pie in hand, he went back to his table. He popped the lid open on the drink, letting the warm silk slide down his tongue.

Caramel cappuccino is like… happiness in a cup, Evelyn would always tell him.

Tears gathered in the corners of his eyes, and he rubbed his eyes hard with the heel of his hand. He was tired of crying. He was tired of being sad.

Nathan lifted the top of his laptop and watched as it booted up. He clicked enter and then clicked on the internet. The school website page popped up, all blue and white.

Death of Volleyball Player- School Mourns Loss.

Nathan stared blankly at the article, not daring to click it. He did  anyway.

A picture of Evelyn, smiling brightly under Nathan’s arm stared up at him. She was in her volleyball uniform, a volleyball in her arms.

It hit him, full force in the chest, when he saw the picture. All the air left his lungs, escaping in a pained gasp. He scrolled downwards, making the picture disappear from sight. His eyes scanned over the article, a frown slowly appearing on his face. It was the same old cookie cutter memorial article that everyone gets.

A link in the Related Articles box caught his attention. Who Killed Evelyn? Nathan hesitated, seeing it was in the gossip section of the website. He clicked it.

A simple list was in the link and seeing the list he scowled. His name was at the top. Hands shaking, he opened up a new tab and went to google, exiting out of the school website on the way. How dare they think it was him! He could’ve never hurt her, could he? Hesitation faltered in his brain. He pushed it out of the way, grabbing the box of apple pie to eat.

He didn’t kill Evelyn, right?

In the google search box he typed in ghosts.

Results popped up on the page. Nathan scrolled down the list, a site titled FAQ About Ghosts capturing his attention. There’s no way it could be accurate, could it? Shrugging, he clicked the blue link.

A black page popped up, a cartoonish picture of a ghost at the top. Below were simple things such as “ghosts are more active at night” and “ghosts usually are not in full body apparition form” were listed below. Nathan sighed and clicked the red button in the top right corner. That didn’t help at all. In fact, they weren’t even true.

Sighing, he opened up a document to start his essay. Was it possible that this was all in his mind?

|<>|

                The city park was deserted at night. The only sound to be heard was the rustling of leaves skipping over the sidewalk. A single spotlight of yellow light shone on the boy, dark shadows hiding his face. A bundle of greasy cloth was clutched to his chest, strong arms protecting the bundle.

                He stepped out of the circle of light into the darkness, his feet snapping a couple of twigs. A gust of wind ruffled his hair, strands of blonde tickling his forehead.

                A late night couple walked past, not turning a head to look at him. For all they know, he was a part of the shadows, a silent extension of the night.

                Gnarled tree branches reached to the night sky, the moon winking behind them. Dead leaves fell to the ground, only to be stepped on by the boy. He prowled along, the bundle clutched tightly in his arms.

                The scent of oil, thick and pungent, flooded the boy’s nostrils. A smile lifted the corners of his lips. Good.

                He came to a stop in front of a flower garden, the petunias and roses long wilted away. The boy got to his knees, retrieving a small shovel from his pocket with his free hand. The shovel struck the soft soil with vigor, scooping out a hole in its wake.

                He unearthed a hole, the size of book, in the dirt. Satisfied with his work, he placed the bundle in the hole. The edge of the oil- stained fabric shifted, and moonlight shattered of polished metal.

                Dirt and debris covered up the item as the boy filled the hole back up. He broke off a wilting white rose from a bush and placed it on top of the mound. Knees popping, he stood up and brushed the dirt from his knees.

                See if they catch him now. 

A/N: So, tell me what you think. Was it a good chapter? Yay? Nay? The next chapter was so much fun to write and I can't wait to share it with you. :) Lot's of drama and... intrigue. ;) 

Question of the day: Favorite chapter so far and why?

-Sophia ^_^